Interim Head of Service (Specialist SEND / AP / EHCP Statutory Assessment)
County Council (East of England) | c. £500/day | Inside IR35 | Hybrid (approx. 2 days onsite) | Start w/c 25 May | Interviews via Teams
A large County Council in the East of England is seeking an experienced Interim Head of Service to provide immediate operational leadership across Specialist SEND Services, Alternative Provision and the EHCP statutory assessment service . This is a high-impact assignment at a time when teams are operating at capacity and additional senior cover is required to stabilise delivery and support colleagues.
What you’ll focus on (hands-on and practical):
- Day-to-day leadership across statutory SEND and AP, providing grip, pace and calm.
- Improving the handling of complaints and Ombudsman-related activity , including better tracking, triage and learning loops.
- Strengthening professional oversight so teams can confidently ask: is this really S19 / tribunal, or is there another solution for the family that breaks the cycle?
- Supporting a stretched service with a clear emphasis on firefighting, stabilisation and operational improvement .
Who this suits:
An interim with strong statutory SEND credibility who can quickly build trust, support peers, and bring structure without disruption, someone with high emotional intelligence who can add capacity without “getting in the way” of existing leaders.
